From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it will release a fresh timetable for the process of recalling the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial zone, Senator Dino Melaye, on Monday, next week.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had, on Monday, dismissed the suit Melaye filed, challenging the validity of a process by his constituents to recall him The court also ordered the Commission to proceed with the recall process.

The judgment brought an end to an ex parte order made by another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, which directed parties to maintain status quo.

The judge described Melaye’s suit as “hasty, premature and presumptuous” as the INEC had already scheduled the exercise for the verification of the authenticity of the signatures in support of the petition being complained about by Melaye.

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“He must first go into the verification exercise, and only when he does not get justice can he come to court,” Justice Dimgba ruled. Although the senator has threatened to appeal the judgement, INEC, in a press statement signed by National Commissioner and member of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mallam Mohammed Haruna, on the petition, said it will roll out the timetable for the recall of Melaye next Monday.

The statement read: “It will be recalled that in obedience to an interlocutory order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, given on July 6, 2017, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stayed all actions relating to the petition to recall Senator Dino Melaye as the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District.

“Judgment in the suit was delivered yesterday, September 11,  2017. All legal hurdles have now been cleared and the recall process can now proceed as envisaged by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the extant INEC guidelines and regulations. 

 “Accordingly, and in compliance with the orders of the court, the commission will release a revised timetable and schedule of activities on Monday September 18, 2017.